The Parthenon is the most attractive and dominating structure on the hill of the Acropolis in Athens. It is considered the pinnacle of classical Greek architecture. The Parthenon was a temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena Parthenos. Although the Parthenon was primarily a temple, it held great significance beyond its religious function. It served as a symbol of Greek civilization and democracy, often used for storage, and embodied various Greek architectural ideals.

The Parthenon was constructed in the 5th century BCE during the leadership of Pericles, between 447 and 432 BCE. The Acropolis had been nearly destroyed by the Persians, prompting Pericles to undertake its reconstruction and commission a remarkable structure to symbolize Greek culture and civilization. As part of this endeavor, Phidias was enlisted to oversee its construction. Athens, being more prosperous than other Greek cities at the time, was able to fund such an ambitious project.

Greek architecture was characterized by simplicity, and the Parthenon followed suit. While primarily built in the Doric order, elements of the Ionic order were also incorporated. Optical corrections were applied to enhance its visual appeal. Situated atop the Acropolis, the Parthenon was designed to command attention. Bright colors were utilized to draw focus, and it was adorned with intricate sculptures depicting Greek mythologies and histories, considered masterpieces of classical Greek art and enduring symbols of ancient Greece, democracy, and Western civilization.

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The floor plan was rectangular, with a ratio of 4:9, and divided into several chambers, the largest of which was dedicated to Athena. The Parthenon featured two entrances, one on the east and another on the west, surrounded by outer and secondary walls. The east side housed two chambers for storing valuable items.

Inside, the west side featured four Ionic columns, resting on three steps called stylobates. The floor sloped slightly towards the middle. The columns supported an elaborately sculpted entablature, while the secondary wall featured an Ionic-style frieze. The proportions of the columns were carefully calculated to achieve optical correction.

Constructed primarily of marble and limestone, the Parthenon also incorporated stone rubble, dried clay, and tiles. The columns were composed of stacked stone blocks, while the floors were made of limestone. The entire structure was meticulously crafted to achieve precision and perfection.

Each side of the Parthenon depicted scenes from Greek mythologies and histories. The west side depicted the battle between Greeks and Amazons, the east side depicted gods and Titans, the south side depicted Greeks and Trojans, and the north side depicted Lapiths and centaurs.